Three years ago, I was told that Zeitwerk was to become the family of complications. The next year we saw a minute repeating Zeitwerk and I started to understand. Just yesterday, Jack told you about the new Zeitwerk Decimal Strike which is somewhere between a minute repeater (which is a decimal repeater capable of chiming the minute) and the original and existing striking time, which chimes only on the hours and quarters To many, it feels like a "whatever" product because it is neither here (a traditional complication like a perpetual or chrono) nor there (a true high end comp like a minute repeater), but rather right in the middle. It is a middle high complication, if that makes any sense. It might not seem like there is a big market for something like this, but in thinking about it for the last 24 hours, I think Lange might be onto something here. I'll explain as I walk you through some live photos of this chiming watch.

Lange manufacture calibre L043.7, with 528 parts.

First, the basics of the watch were already presented, but I will repeat the important stuff: it's 44mm in diameter, the left gong strikes a low tone on the hour and the right gong strikes a high pitch every ten minutes. You can turn off the striking with the button at 4 o'clock. The case is made of Lange's proprietary (and awesome) honey gold and just 100 pieces will be made. The dial is solid silver with an argenté finish. The "time bridge" at center is German silver with a stunning tremblage finish that looks almost frosted. This, next to the honey gold case is just lovely.

The Zeitwerk is 44mm in diameter, but with this style of watch, it works.

Now the most important thing about this watch is the sound, and I can say that while indeed steel is often considered the best metal for chiming watches, this compound called honey gold presents an entirely different chiming sound than any of the other gold chiming watches from Lange. The color of honey gold is as unique as its sound. Also, one aesthetic thing to note about this watch is the tremblage finish on the hammers which I hope can see below. It is simply stunning.

The tremblage finish on the hammers here is simply top-tier.

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Now, back to my original thoughts – why does this watch make sense when the Zeitwerk itself is already a complicated watch, and we have a striking time and a minute repeater? Well, in some ways, the world is more segmented than ever before. And I think one of the great introductions to watchmaking over the course of the last twenty years has been that of the "mid-complication". You know, moon phases, and power reserves, and world-times, and of course, the ultimate mid-complication, the annual calendar. All of a sudden there is so much more to watches than time-only, chronographs, and "grande complications", which generally begin with perpetual calendars. Think what the SIHH would look like without any mid-comps. There would be hardly any watches at all!

Lange now offers three different kinds of chiming watches.

Then, when you look at comparable markets, like say the automobile industry, we no longer have the 3, 5, and 7 series from BMW, we have the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 series. And not just coupes, sedans, and SUVS, but any number of cross-overs between. And you know what? There is is someone out there that just thinks the BMW X6M is the most perfect car in the world. And it's kind of like what Lange is doing here with the Zeitwerk Decimal Strike in honey gold. It's somewhere between a striking time and the minute repeater, in a particular metal that appeals to a particular type of client. And it cost? €120,000 (approximately $128,360 at time of publishing) will appeal to a particular type of person. And you know what, that's ok with me, because even though it doesn't go as far as the minute repeater, it allows 100 more watch lovers to own a chiming watch from Lange, and that is a beautiful thing.